Alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson came up during the golden age of bebop surrounded by influential players like Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk, so when he started hitting the studios in the ‘50s, he was a sensual, bluesy force to be unleashed (“Blues Walk,” “Nice ‘n' Greasy”). In a lot of ways, he was instrumental in fusing the hip swing and blues sounds of early jazz to the ever-changing landscapes of hard bop and beyond (“Alligator Bogaloo,” “You've Changed”). Donaldson's furious solo lines (“Cookin'”) and soulful lyricism (“Autumn Nocturne”) made him a man of timeless appeal. Donaldson passed away in 2024 at the age of 98.